Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which the pancreas cannot create sufficient insulin. In a diabetic state, a person suffering from high blood sugar may experience an array of physiological side effects associated with the deterioration of small blood vessels. These side effects may include, for example, kidney failure, skin ulcers, bleeding into the vitreous of the eye, and the like. A hypoglycemic reaction, such as a low blood sugar event, may be induced by an inadvertent overdose of insulin, or after a normal dose of insulin or glucose-lowering agent. In a severe hypoglycemic reaction, there may be a high risk for headache, seizure, loss of consciousness, and coma.
A diabetic person may carry a self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) monitor which typically requires the user to prick his or her finger to measure his or her glucose levels. Given the inconvenience associated with traditional finger pricking methods, it is unlikely that a diabetic will take a timely SMBG measurement and, consequently, may be unaware whether his or her blood glucose value is indicative of a dangerous situation.
Consequently, a variety of non-invasive, transdermal (e.g., transcutaneous) and/or implantable electrochemical sensors are being developed for detecting and/or quantifying blood glucose values. These devices generally transmit raw or minimally processed data for subsequent analysis at a remote device. The remote device may have a display that presents information to a user hosting the sensor. In some systems, a patient may check his or her glucose level on a hand held computing device. There are challenges to presenting this information discreetly and reliably.